I NEVER IMAGINED
I often look back on my life, stunned at all God has brought me through. It’s hard to believe things that have happened. I honestly, never imagined what the last 50 years would bring.
I never imagined being despised and rejected by my future in-laws, that they would spread horrible lies about me to relatives and ultimately refuse to attend their own daughter’s wedding.
I never imagined being in 3 horrible car accidents, each happening while I was serving the Lord. Each car was a total loss from the awful damage done. It was as if something was trying to kill me. It’s a miracle I am alive.
I never imagined my wife suffering 47 years of pain and hardship from the severity of the first car accident, and the damage it inflicted on her.
I never imagined my wife developing a severe case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that would affect her for years.
I never imagined the extremely difficult financial struggles and hardships of those first 20 years of married life. They were overwhelming.
I never imagined my father walking out and abandoning our family, never to return, choosing to never know my children.
I never imagined my daughter suffering a mysterious 7 year illness, nor her pain and suffering during those years, or the trauma and brutal injustices of all that happened to us during those 7 years. I kept a journal of everything that happened, you wouldn’t believe it if I wrote it all out. It’s mind-boggling. More than once my daughter almost died.
I never imagined that after my daughter’s terrible illness, finally getting well, just married, she’d be T-boned by a drunk driver, severely injuring her body and undoing years of struggle to regain her health.
I never imagined that several years later she’d be rushed to the hospital, as she was losing the use of her arm, suffering great pain in her neck and arm, only to have the surgeon remove multiple fragments of obliterated disc material from her upper spine that were lodged there from the drunk woman slamming into her a few years earlier. He told her afterwards, “I’ve done thousands of these surgeries, yours was the worst I’ve ever seen. Had you not come on this very day, you would have permanently lost the use of your arm.”
I never imagined my toddler granddaughter would stop breathing, turn blue, and almost die from a seizure, needing to be revived by EMTs.
I never imagined my father taking his own life.
I never imagined there’d be people whom my wife and I sacrificially loved, laid our lives down for, and treated as though they were members of our own family, who would turn on us, and viciously try to destroy our lives.
I never imagined the brutal, treacherous betrayals by people I loved and trusted, whom I faithfully served for 32 years of my life.
I never imagined after all those years of devoted work and service, having everything taken from me, my life erased, and my reputation deliberately destroyed by people I had loved and devoted my entire adult life to serve. The losses have been staggering.
I never imagined the shattering my family endured as a result of the terrible betrayal and malfeasance of Christian leaders. If I told you all the factual details of the treachery involved in this travesty, you’d be appalled.
I never imagined my heart being so broken, my spirit being so crushed.
I never imagined a despicable government would deliberately unleash COVID on the world, that I’d get infected with it, and now struggle with severe asthma as a result—many times struggling to breathe, with horrible, recurring coughing fits.
I never imagined having to watch some of my children walk through such tremendous heartaches, and excruciating difficulties as a result of the cruelties and injustices inflicted on them.
I never imagined I could actually live through and survive some of the extreme trials and tribulations of my life. But here I am, still standing, sincerely declaring to you—The Lord is my Rock. The Lord is my Refuge. The Lord is my Salvation. The Lord is my Faithful God, the love of my life. Jesus Christ is and remains the very best thing that’s ever happened to me.
I can tell you with certainty, from a lifetime of experience, that though you may not have imagined all you’re going through right now, God can, and will bring you through to the other side. You may be worn and weary. You may be traumatized, battered, dazed and bruised. You may feel weak, overwhelmed and gutted. You may at times want to give up and throw in the towel.
But know this my dear friends. God is worthy of your trust! God will not desert you. God will not betray you. God will not abandon you. God will comfort you. God will walk with you through it all. God will somehow sustain you. God will be faithful to you and keep every promise He’s made to you. God will never, ever stop loving you, or caring for you.
Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT
But now, O Israel {O Christian}, the Lord who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulties you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God. You are precious to me. You are honored and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
Isaiah 46:3-4 NLT
Listen to me, all you who are left in Israel. I created you and have cared for you since you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
